


A better life

by dahtwitchi



Series: Fix-it for Angst Week and related issues [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Fix-It, Fluff, Lazy Mornings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-13 11:45:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16017221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dahtwitchi/pseuds/dahtwitchi
Summary: It is a good morning when you can wake up and realise memories truly are in the past, and forget them in the arms of your loved one.





	A better life

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [An End](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15560568) by [dahtwitchi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dahtwitchi/pseuds/dahtwitchi). 



> A fix-it for my art piece _An End_ , from my angsty take on day 7, prompt free day, of MadaTobi Week 2018

The world seemed void of sound and movement as Madara woke with a gasp. He had half risen in his panic to flee memories made into nightmares. Leaning on quivering arms as he tried to remember how to breathe. Take stock of the situation. 

Warm morning sunlight shone through the blinds onto the opposite wall, the rest of the room left in dim shadows. He was in a bed, although his numb fingers couldn't tell him anything but the give of the fabric he clenched in his fists. Fragmented vivid images still clung to his inner eye. Remembered words rung in his ears as he tried to tell himself it had only been a dream this time. It was not reality, not like it had once been. A long time ago. 

After a few moments, he registered the weight against his side and looked down at the body beside him. It was too still. His lover’s habit of sleeping face down made it even harder to ascertain if there was still life in him. Madara was unable see any movements, could only see a body as lax and warm as the one in his dreams. His heartbeat picked up as he reached out with an unsteady hand, placing it softly on the uncovered torso. Despite the need to reassure himself he didn't want to risk waking Tobirama, not when his fears surely were unfounded. 

The chest didn't seem to move. He was too stressed. He knew he was. As soon as he woke properly from the clutches of sleep and dreams and memories he’d be able to calmly see Tobirama was alive. For a moment he almost backed off, but then doubt and fear clawed it's way up. Head spinning, Madara blinked his sharingan into life, his fingers now hastily fumbling for a pulse. He whispered Tobirama's name over and over as his enhanced sight rapidly took in whatever it could in the dim light. Damn his lover's deep sleep and controlled breathing. Making sure not to wake the frustrating bastard became secondary as Madara had to be irrevocably sure Tobirama was alive.

 

Then Tobi's hand was there, batting ineffectively at his clumsy hand. 

Madara could sob with relief. 

 

He still made sure to register the shallow chest movement with his enhanced sight, get the slow and steady heartbeat under his fingers, assured himself of as many life signs as possible.

 

“m’wha?” Tobi muttered into the pillow. With it, the world beyond them finally trickled into Madara's consciousness, and sound began to register. Birds. Wind. The kids beginning a fight somewhere in the house. The rustle of linen as Tobirama leaned his head slightly to the side to frown up at him. There was sleep in his eyes and half his face still mostly mashed against the pillow.

 

“Mads?” There was a tentative undertone to his voice. Mostly it was slow and warm with relaxation, though. As unwilling to wake up as always, sleep still apparent in every aspect of his relaxed body. Few things ruffled Tobirama in the morning. Madara will never cease to amaze how willing his partner is to laze mornings away, it was still hard to imagine this man a slow riser. 

 

"No, no. It was... Mostly a nightmare. Bad memories." Madara's fingers still trembled as they slid over the old scar on Tobirama's neck, a slash once made over the slow and steady beat. Swallowing down intense emotions, he collapsed down onto the bed again. His gaze focused on how his fingers caressed the scar, while avoiding to meet Tobi's eyes. His heart had yet to stop it’s hammering in his chest.

 

“Oh,” Tobirama sighed, and had to scuffle around a bit to be able to extract one of his arms from under the pillow. His hand was warm and solid as he trapped Madara's hand firmly against the scar. 

 

"I trust you,” Tobirama’s voice was low and firm, heavy with meaning and weighed down with sleep. Between them it meant so much more than 'I love you' ever could. 

 

“Good.” Madara's voice was thick with gratefulness they both knew he felt but neither of them would ever mention willingly. The heartbeat against his skin was indescribable, that there was a heart alive to pump blood to this day. 

 

With a nod and a yawn, Tobirama closed his eyes again, but kept the pressure on Madara's hand and held it down against the slow and steady beat, alive. 

The moment couldn't continue forever, though, and Madara made the effort to rise up a bit, leaning on his elbow to easier look at the relaxed man beside him. Had Tobirama not vehemently opposed the idea of mornings disturbed by sunlight, he'd have been bathed in brightness. Madara had to make do with shadows as he finally relaxed enough to see the steady rise and fall of the torso with his bare eyes. His fingers didn't shake anymore as he withdrew his hand, dragged it down along the spine. A content hum from Tobirama had him smile, and he pressed more firmly, massaging already relaxed muscles. The content sound dragged out into a yawn and a full body stretch, and Madara held off his ministrations as Tobirama made a wiggled attempt to turn over. 

Madara couldn't help but laugh at Tobirama as he cursed over how the thin blanket followed the movement and managed to tangle his legs together, while leaving the body indecently uncovered. 

 

“Stop laughing, asshole,” the voice was soft, more of a grouse than a serious complaint, as he glared up without any true annoyance in his eyes. Madara just smiled and put his hands back on against soft skin, caressing slowly over the bare hip. Tobirama raised his eyebrows but didn't make any attempts at any other reaction, just looked up at Madara with one of his lopsided sleepy morning smiles. 

Both grimaced at the next sound of whatever havoc the two teenaged shinobi were able to wreck on their kitchen. They didn't look away from each other though, and Madara couldn't resist lying down again. Just for a little while, a little bit more closeness to drive away any lingering horrors of his mind. 

Usually he'd have been bothered by the layers of clothing between them, would have wanted to undress to get as close as possible. Tobirama might be perfectly fine sleeping in the nude, but Madara wasn't. That was not to say that Madara didn't shed his clothes quite often in the bed, too often to the accompaniment of amused commentary on his habit of wearing pyjamas. Here and now was not the time for intimate activities, though. The barrier of clothing didn't diminish the connection he was after. Peace was the goal as he snuggled in, took in the familiar scent, felt skin and muscle and warmth of the whole and healthy body beneath him. 

Tobirama languidly wrapped his arms around him in response, and they both drew a simultaneous sigh of contentment. Any remnants of tension drained away, and Madara felt weightless while at the same time melting down, molding their bodies together. He sought out the scar with his lips, kissed it softly as Tobirama mumbled routine complaints about getting a mass of hair in his face. His hands were gentle as they moved the strands away, though. The fingers slid softly down over the scalp and came to rest against the back of Madara's head, holding him close.

Just a few more moments before he had to get up and discover just what their kids were shouting about.

**Author's Note:**

> As usual, thanks to neutrons for dragging me through, and amihan for giving me suggestions for my worst offences.
> 
> And yes. Yes I did skip out completely on the intervening years of how they got from the angst week drawing and ended up here! (That part is free for grabs, but probably a bit too much of a mess x3)


End file.
